The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, 138 ee of those dreadful designs which Benjamin Bones had chorished against herself and Lady Hatfield, and which had beon made known through tho me- dium of John Jeffreys. It was therefore natural that Esther de Medina should shrink from tho bare idea of holding tho slightest communication with a miscreant of so ferocious a character: but a short —avery short interval of reflection was soon suf- ficient to arm her with the courage necessary to support tho ordeal. Drawing back tho sliding-pancl which covered the small aperture in the upper part of the massive door, sho said in her soft, musical voice, “ Prisoner, will you grant me yourattention for a few minutes?” “Who are you??? demanded Old Death, starting as if froma Icthargic state—a movement that was indicated by the suddon rustling of his garments and the creaking of the bed whereon he was placed. “Tam Esther de Medina,’ was the answer; and the beautiful Jowess allowed the lamp to cast its light upon hor countenance, which was so close to the aporturo that Old Death caught a momentary but perfect view of her featurcs. Sho then placed the lamp upon tho ground, thus again leaving the interior of tho cell in complete darkness. “Yos—it Is Miss Esther de Medina!” exclaimed Benjamin Bones, in a voice which he endeavoured to render as mild and conciliatory as possible. ‘ Dear young lady, open the door, and Ict me out of this horrible place. JI am sure you possess a good heart “ ‘A heart good enough to forgive you for the dreadful atrocity which you contemplated against mo upwards of two months ago,” interrupted Esther, ecarccly able to subdue a shuddering sensa- tion which cszme over her. “ Yes—I know every thing,” she continued: “you would have entrapped me into your power—you would havo deprived me of the blessing of sight,—and yct I never, never in- jured you.” “But you say that you forgive me!” cried Old Death, impatiently, “Open the door, then, my sweet young lady—and J will find means to reward you well. Listen,” he exclaimed, approaching tho trap, and speaking in s confidential kind of hollow, murmuring whisper,—“ don’t bo offended at what I am going to say—but I know that you are fond of jewellery—and it is natural for such a beautiful ercature 35 you are - “Silence, sir!” interrupted Esther, indignantly. “Tam well aware to what you allude; and it is time to undeccive you on that head,’’ sho added, in a proud tone: “indeed, thereis no longer any necessity for concealment in that respect! In my turn I desire you to listen—and listen attentively. You entertain a belief so prejudicial to my character, that I cannot allow eren such an one as you to cherish it another minute. Know, then, that I havo a sister so like myself in outward appearance “By Satan! it must be so,” cjaculated Old Death, a light breaking in upon his mind as in a single moment he took a rapid survey of all the circum- stances which had originally Ied him to suppose that Esther was the thief of Mr. Gordon’s diamonds and tho mistress of Tom Rain. “ Yes—yes—I une derstand it all now!” he added, in a tono that ap- peared to imply yexation at his former blindness in respect to these matters. “With pain and sorrow am 1 thus eompolled to allude to a sister who is so dear—~so very deny to me,” resumed Esther: “but this explanation was necessary—not only for my own sake, but likewise to convince you of the folly and wickedness of endeavouring to induce me, by the promise of re- ward or bribe, to draw back the bolts of your prison.~ door. No—my visit to youis inspired by the earnest desire to move your soul to the contemplation of all the dreadful deeds which have marked your life—~—” “Then you will not set me free?” exclaimed Old Death, in a tone of subdued rage and latent forocity. “Not now—not now,” repeated Esther. “But liston to me attentivoly !” “Go on,” growled the inmate of the dungeon, as he retreated from the door, and thr ew himself upon his bed again, “Tf you entertain the slightest hope that you will ever bo allowed an opportunity to re-enter on a course of wickedness and crime, you are sadly mis- taken,” continued Esther, speaking in a conciliatory and yot energetic tone. “Even were you liberated this moment, measures would be adopted to render you completely powerless for the future inre 4 to the perpetration of fresh cnormitios. Jct, then, whether it will not bo better for yous’ scrote the remainder of your days—and in the ordinary course of nature they must necessarily be few—to the important duty of making your peace with heaven! Do not despair of pardon—oh! no—do not despair! You seo thas I, who am a mortal being, can forgive you for the wrongs vou meditated against me,—and surely the merey of heaven is greater than that of human creatures? Yes—repent erc it bo too late; and God will not cast you off eternally, fis mercy is infinite : His pardon is nevor asked in vain by the penitent sinner.” ’ “Continuc to speak to me thus,” cried Old Death, in atono strangely subdued and wondrously meek, considering the ferocious excitement which so lately animated him. “Oh! Isincerely hope that you will recognise the crror of your ways, ere it be indeed too latel” ex- claimed Esther, in a tone of enthusiasm deeply felt by her generous soul. ‘Consider your advanced age—and think how soon the hand of Death maybe laid upon you! Then how wretched—how awful would your feelings be,—and how would you shudder at the idea of being about to stand in tho presence of that Almighty Power whose laws and mandates you have so often violated! For, after all, what have you gained by your long, long career of wicked- ness? All your treasures were annihilated in ono hour - “Yes—yes,” interrupted Old Death, in a voice half suffocated with emotions which the Jewess fondly believed to be those of remorse. “Tho hoardings of many years and the produce of innumerable misdeeds wero thus swept away,” ‘sho continucd, impressively; “and Providenco at length decreed that you should become a prisoner in the very place where you had so-long ruled as a master, Does not heaven, then, afford you solomn and significant warnings that your carcor of crimo is no more to be pursucd with success ?—and do not those warnings move your heart to repentanco and remorse? Neglect not such warnings as these, I conjure you!” “Your words do me good, young lady!” ex- claimed Old Death. “Iam glad that you ave como thee to speak to me,” ee (C(O) (C DOO <S LL (SO)